Girl, 11, missing off Long Beach; 9-year-old brother rescued

Surf rescue swimmers Julez Orr and Eddie Mendez carry an 9-year-old boy to the shore at Long Beach, after rescuing him from the ocean Thursday. The boy had been in the water for over 30 minutes. His 11-year-old sister wasn’t found. (AP Photo/Damian Mulinix)

UPDATE, 10:20 p.m. The Coast Guard has suspended its search for an 11-year-old girl who was reportedly swept out to sea while swimming.

The Coast Guard said it conducted seven hours of searching, covering more than 59 square miles.

Corrected version

The Associated Press

LONG BEACH — Authorities say an 11-year-old girl is missing in the Pacific Ocean surf off this southwest Washington beach while her 9-year-old brother was rescued after treading water for about a half hour.

The Daily Astorian reports that a shore-based search for the girl ended late Thursday afternoon at Long Beach. A Coast Guard helicopter planned to keep searching until nightfall.

The children reportedly had been playing in the water when they got caught in a current.

Surf rescue team leader Doug Knutzen says the boy told rescuers he didn’t know where his sister was. Knutzen says only the very top of the boy’s face was out of the water when rescuers reached him. The child was taken to a nearby hospital and reported in stable condition.

The Astorian says the boy’s mother traveled with him to the hospital while the children’s grandmother stayed at the beach. Rescuers said the family was visiting from the Seattle area.

Correction: An earlier version of this item had the children’s ages reversed.

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The Today File is a general news blog featuring real-time coverage of Seattle and the Northwest. It is reported by the news staff of The Seattle Times and includes stories from The Associated Press and McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.